Crew quarantines and cargo ships getting blocked outside the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach became a possibility this week as authorities scramble to prevent the spread of coronavirus to the U.S.
New federal travel regulations — issued over the weekend amid increasing numbers of coronavirus cases in China — are being overseen by the U.S. Coast Guard and could affect the twin port complex, the largest in the nation.
As of Tuesday, Feb. 4, there have been 20,630 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, a respiratory illness that was first reported in Wuhan, China, according to the World Health Organization; 159 of those cases were confirmed outside of China — with one case in Los Angeles County. The virus has resulted in 426, according to the W.H.O.
The United States this week began barring most foreign nationals from entering the country if they traveled to China within the last 14 days, according to the U.S. Department of State. The State Department has also issued a “Do Not Travel” advisory for China.
That could be problematic for the L.A. and Long Beach ports, however, since a little more than half of the complex’s cargo ship calls emanate from China, officials at both ports said Tuesday.
So far, though, the new restrictions have not resulted in any quarantines or other snags.
“Thankfully, we have yet to see any impact to operations,” said Noel Hacegaba, deputy executive director for the Port of Long Beach.
Phillip Sanfield, spokesman for the Port of Los Angeles, added that there is “high awareness” of the virus. There have been no incidents in the port so far, he said.
Three major cruise lines, meanwhile, have also taken precautions, with Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian Cruise Line restricting or banning passengers who have been in China in the past 15 days.
The heightened travel restrictions are meant to quarantine those who arrive in the U.S. from China before a two-week incubation period has passed.
Ships coming from China into the twin ports number about two each day, said U.S. Coast Guard Commander Marshall Newberry, calling that a “decent number” and creating a potential impact under the new guidelines.
“If it’s been more than 14 days since the departure (from China) and no crew members are showing symptoms,” Newberry said, “then the ships are allowed to enter the port.”
If it has been less than 14 days and there are no symptoms of illness on board, ships are allowed to enter the port to conduct normal operations, he said, but with restrictions for crew members.
Those restrictions include no open shore leave, Newberry said, though crew members — which usually number 15 to 20 per vessel — can leave the ship to procure provisions and conduct tasks related to vessel operations.
But if any crew member shows symptoms before entering the port, Newberry said, that person’s vessel will be denied entry. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the agency tasked with dealing with the crew.
Ray Familathe, president of Local 13 for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, said members have been briefed on the new protocols.
“We’re monitoring the virus closely,’ he said. “It’s a great concern for our members to protect their health and safety.”
Familathe added that protocols are being followed and he cautioned against false information or overreactive fears that can accompany these kinds of new viruses.
The number of confirmed cases has increased rapidly in recent weeks, health officials have said the risks of contracting the virus remain low in Southern California.
Besides the one L.A. County case, there has also been one confirmed case in Orange County.
But the bigger risk to the L.A. and Long Beach ports could be the effect the coronavirus has on China.
The fast-spreading virus has shuttered factories in China, which could impact the supply chain in the long run.
If factories in China remain closed for long, Hacegaba said, “it could put a dent in cargo volumes.”
Cargo volume typically dips about 5% during the two-week Lunar New Year celebration in China, Hacegaba said. This year, that holiday period, when many factories in China normally close down anyway, is set to end Saturday, Feb. 8.
If the coronavirus spreads or uncertainty keeps those factories closed beyond that period, he said, it could cut cargo volume by about 1% — or 76,000 twenty-foot equivalent units — per week. If that occurred, it would prove yet another obstacle for the ports, which spent about the last 1 1/2 years grappling with the fallout of the U.S-China trade war, a tit-for-tat dispute in which tensions waned in January with the signing of a new trade agreement.
“That’s the worst-case scenario,” Hacegaba said of the factories remaining closed. “It could add up quickly.”
